ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – Sally Hansen Coral Fever from the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 Collection
365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to.
Let’s kick off the week with my “lesson learned” moment Fanatics! When I started this 365 project I told myself I wouldn’t do any posts in advance unless I was going to be out of town. I wanted it to be as organic as possible and show you my untrieds selections as the mood struck me. The whole point was to challenge myself to post a new polish swatch and review every day. Well when I became sick this weekend, it threw a wrench in the plan. I actually slept until 2pm today. CRAZY! So in case of emergency I’m going to put a couple posts in the hopper should this issue arise again. I learned my lesson and will add a couple days to the 365 to make up for it. Though there’s no point in dwelling on what I can’t fix so let’s just move forward, shall we? I had the good fortune to attend the Tracy Reese Spring 2011 RTW runway show which had a 70s chic, jetsetter-on-safari kind of vibe. Mixed in with the graphic prints, black & white basics and sandy neutrals were pops of lavender, blue and coral. Tracy pulled inspiration from her fabrics when it came time to collaborate with her longtime partner-in-polish Sally Hansen. Of the seven shades in the collection, Sally Hansen Coral Fever really piqued my interest. |
Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The hefty glass bottles are topped with a smooth chrome cap that has a rubberized grip around the base. The grip makes opening the bottle easier and keeps the brush from slipping while polishing.
The brush is the same flat, paddle style as the Insta-Dri line with curved bristles. The bristles are firm so use a light touch to avoid streaking or dragging the polish.
The Complete Salon Manicure formula feels thin when you apply it but Coral Fever is well pigmented so it becomes opaque in two coats. Since this line is meant to be worn sans base and top coat, it dries with a high gloss shine.
There were several coral pieces, from dresses to pants, that popped on the runway but it’s this casual chic look of a striped, dolman sleeve sweater and brown shorts that caught my eye.
Sally Hansen Coral Fever is what I consider a true coral creme. It’s at the opposite end of the coral spectrum from the one I wore the other day, Lancome Sarong. An ideal coral balances the warm tone, orange, with the cool tone, pink, creating a shade that is flattering to most skin tones. That’s why corals are so wearable and perfect for summer. An added bonus… they make you look tan even if you have just the slightest faux glow.
Bottom Line: I’ve made it no secret that I’m a super fan of the Sally Hansen CSM formula. My only complaint has ever been that some of the shades can stain (I’m looking at you Grass Slipper) so while they can be worn without a base coat, I highly recommend putting one on or be prepared to de-Smurf yourself. In addition to the periwinkles and neutrals that I’ve been all about lately, you can add coral to that list. Clearly those are my color trends for the season. If you’re looking for an accessible, on-trend coral for the summer, Coral Fever won’t do you wrong.
365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I have an abnormally low amount of corals and this one is perfect for my skin tone so I’m STASHing it.
Sally Hansen Coral Fever is available as part of the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 Runway collection in drugstores nationwide. Sally Hansen CSM nail polishes retail for $7.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.
Thoughts on Coral Fever? What are your favorite corals? Do you like them straight up or more pink/orange/red? What have been your go-to colors this season?
Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for Sally Hansen. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
If these looked different in the bottle I would have bought them by now! I LOVE this shade, but when I see it in the store I just think “eh. not now.”
I must have 30 bottles of coral-ish colors, but I need to have this one anyway!
Thanks for the review
I love this. Some corals can be a bit eye-watering to look at but this one is just pretty
My favorite coral right now is Essie Geranium, I never really went for that color family before but I was growing more and more disenchanted with reds so I gave it a shot. I am madly in love with it!
This is exactly what im looking for! NEED this!
Thanks for showing me 
What a pretty coral polish! Looks great on you.
LOVE corals. That’s what I have the most of in my collections (besides purples). I really like this one, but I like when they lean a little more hot pink (Cajun Shrimp by OPI is my fav).
That is such a gorgeous coral and it looks amazing on you. I’m in a coral loving phase right now and will definitely pick this up when/if I see it.
Oh, that one’s gorgeous! I love corals – I will have to pick that one up!
Gorgeous!! I’m such a fan of corals!!
ooh such a pretty color! and the outfit is really cute as well
GODDD that is beautiful. I’m a sucker for all corals so I immediately want this – my current favorite coral is Revlon Make Mine Mango, although I don’t think it’s my HG. I like my corals to lean pink, but my skin is very yellow so they ALWAYS ALWAYS lean orange, no matter the color. Any recommendations for a pink-leaning coral that still has the requisite orange in it would be most appreciated
This one looks interesting…I too am a fan of the Sally Hansen CSM formula, and I’m glad to hear that this coral is opaque after 2 coats. The corals I’ve tried (OPI I’m His Coral-Friend as one example) were just too “jelly” for me and I’m not a huge fan of VNL. I think I’ll give this one a go.
Ahh, so that’s what happened to Sunday’s post. Good idea to put a few in reserve in case they’re needed.
I picked up the Delphinium polish from this collection about a week ago. It took three coats to satisfy me, but I love it, and it wore very well, for me.
I’m still on the hunt for the right coral for me, which would be a bit more on the pink side, and a little subdued or faded looking, like it’s been in the sun for a while.
It looks like an honest-to-god perfect coral.
I’m wearing Chanel Miami Peach right now and the gold shimmer with the squishy jelly formula is so pretty. For something brighter, my go-to is RBL Coral. I recently discovered that Rimmel London Sunset Orange leans coral, too. Coral is such a fun summery color – I love ‘em all!
This is really a lovely color. And it’s available here, so yay!
I usually don’t go for corals, but this one is making me reconsider my coral virginity…
I’ve been lemming for this one for months! It’s always sold out in the display
Love that colour!!
On a side note, was wonder if/when you were going to do reviews and swatches for OPIs pirates of the caribbean collection??
i love reading your reviews
Will this be limited edition? Love the color and the way it looks on you!
really pretty colour, and im so with you on loving the CSM formula!
Beautiful Color!!! Love the outfit also!
I love the colors in the CSM line, but I have really bad experiences with SH’s dry time across the board. I have Yellow Kitty in my untrieds, but I need to put it on on a day when I have absolutely nothing else to do.
I have that one, and it looks better if you apply it over a white polish.
I am in such a coral mania right now, my only problem is that I am having a hard time paying almost $8 for Sally Hansen polish and the brush looks a bit wonky 90% of the time. I did have my eye on a few colors though. And I don’t have any coral polish…hmmm…I do really want Sarong but I’ll be honest I am not paying over $12 for a polish that’s not Chanel so maybe I’ll go for this even though it’s not the same shade. I am in love with coral!
This color looks so pretty! Will have to pick it up!
Such a pretty color! I’ve gotta get this one
omg! super gorgeous!
that looks wonderful on you!
I LOVE this shade and also am a huge fan of this line in SH,..the CSM line is amazing. I was just at a CVS looking around yesterday as we don’t have one by me very close and I was on my way back from a day out of town for business. I immediately went to look at the CSM they had…why don’t I ever see the good shades I want – I am so ready to buy and only have 2 in the CSM line because they are always so picked over. I would have brought this one home in a second if I had seen it in stock. Plus they were all on sale for $5! I do tend to like most of the time a redish orange. I am not a neon orange – or even a bright orange. I like corals – always have since they were major hot in the 80′s last time around. Fav coral color I have reached for of late – 2 of em…Essie – Brazilliant – a semi shimmer – ya gotta look hard – mostly see it in the bottle – great toe shade…and then I am in LOVE with an older OPI shade that has red to the orange that muffles it a tish to give it still orange but a bit of brown maybe from the red – it’s called On The Same Page and I adore it…I will wear that shade long past summer and orange/corals pass because On The Same Page will carry well to a great fall shade. It’s in my book the perfect 3 seasons a year color.
I am in love with this color!!! I’ve been all about corals and teals/turquoises lately.
It’s a little retina-searing, but I love it! Saw this at an Ulta near me and picked up another color from the line (Barracuda) but I think I’ll have to grab this one as well.
Wow, that’s really nice! I’ll have to pick this color up the next time I’m at Walgreens.
I just bought this based on your post! I’ve been looking for a true, opaque coral for my toes for MONTHS. Corals usually turn straight up red or pink on my skin and are often a jelly finish (which I love on my nails but not on my toes). I’ll be doing a pedicure with this color tomorrow!
Very beautiful.
I picked this up after reading your post, but I am very unhappy with the formula. Maybe its my bottle, but it is super streaky, even with a super light touch. Also, the color dries to a much more muted coral. I like how it looks jellyish on your nails. On mine, its a flat cream, and no high gloss finish. I tried it twice last night and got the same result. Bummer!